Subscribe and Learn

How Native Advertising Makes a Difference

There is a trend that has been growing in the publishing and advertising world that actually makes sense. Native advertising is starting to really take hold as a valid online advertising option for many and the results are starting to show.

In essence, native advertising, often called advertorials, is the act of placing an ad within the stream of a publication. Unlike traditional banner advertising or contextual text ads, native advertising tells a story in an editorial format that makes it appear to be journalism. It’s paid and must be clearly marked as such, but otherwise it’s just like any other story on a blog, any other Tweet on the Twitter stream, and any other story on a Facebook news feed. As long as it’s mentioned that it’s sponsored, it’s legit in the eyes of the US government.

What makes it work is that it normally (should) deliver some form of value to the reader beyond just promoting a product. Sometimes it’s overdone, such as the case of “breaking news about a stunning new development” or other over-the-top variations, but for the most part professional ad agencies are figuring out ways to work it in without being completely misleading.

This isn’t new. It started well before the internet and will always deliver a different sort of result. Some believe it is deceptive because it’s intended to make the reader believe that the endorsements and claims are those of the publication itself rather than a paid advertisement, but that’s for the reader to decide.

This infographic by Solve Media explores the world of native advertising and breaks down the various ways that it can enhance the overall marketing and advertising efforts of a business.

The internet looks better today than ever before. Parallel with the rise in design standards, users and publishers have also come to recognize the vital importance of user experience. Traditionally, online advertising has comprised both. When publishers invest in native advertising, however, users are more engaged and everything on screen remains beautiful and relevant.

The claims may seem a little over-the-top themselves, but they’re not completely off base. Native advertising does enhance the advertising experience in many cases, particularly when done right. Here’s the graphic that puts it all into perspective: